The present invention relates to the art of photocopy machines and, more particularly, to so-called desk-top copiers.
Until relatively recently, it has been necessary in performing copying operations with such copiers to manually feed each document to be copied into the machine. To eliminate this drawback, some desk-top copiers have been equipped in recent years with various automatic feed devices capable of successively feeding individual documents from a document stack into the copier without need for the presence of an operator once document feed has been initiated. Although copiers equipped with automatic original document feed devices have been well received, such copiers have heretofore been subject to a number of drawbacks.
With some copiers equipped for automatic feed of original documents, it is necessary to employ the automatic feed mechanism although only a single document is to be copied. Forced usage of the automatic feed mechanism is disadvantageous for at least two reasons. First, it often requires bothersome adjustment of the feed device so as to accommodate the single document to be copied. This usually involves adjustment of the document side guides and can involve adjustment for document thickness. Second, the feed mechanism subjects the original document to the rigors of a power feed tire or set of tires and a document reversing transport path. Where the original document is brittle with age, or where the original document is worn and frayed, but valuable, there is a natural reluctance for good reason on the part of users in subjecting the document to the rigors of the power feed mechanism. Other copiers equipped for automatic feed afford the possibility of making copies without usage of the automatic feed device. However, with such copiers the power feed unit must be removed from the copier in order to permit access to the entryway of the original document feed or transport system.
It is necessary to afford ready access to the original document transport path or paths of desk-top copiers so that original documents can be retrieved from the sheet handling apparatus in cases of document jam or machine stoppage. Heretofore, access to the original document path has been obstructed by any automatic feed device employed and has required removal thereof or substantial disassembly of the apparatus before the entire sheet handling apparatus could be rendered accessible.
As alluded to hereinabove, it has heretofore been necessary to adjust automatic original document feed devices in accordance with the thickness of the documents to be fed. With existing feed devices, such adjustment involves considerable guesswork on the part of the operator. Often, proper adjustment can be made only after having aborted several copying runs due to improper feeding.
Although desk-top copiers are available which can make copies of original documents not in sheet form, such as a book page, such versatility has heretofore been absent with copiers equipped with automatic document feed devices.